xv, 251 pages ; 21 cm

This brief, provocative reader explores American popular culture from The Sopranos to the Simpsons, from MP3 players to comic books, from Andy Warhol to hip hop. Anyone who wants to understand what Americans are seeing, thinking, and doing in the 21st century should read this collection

"A Longman topics reader."

Includes bibliographical references

Ch. 1. American character and image. What's great about this country / Andy Warhol -- Marlboro country: advertising / Anneli Rufus -- The American "I" / Richard Rodriguez -- Awakening from the American dream: the end of escape in American cinema? / Patrick J. Deneen -- The futile pursuit of happiness / Jon Gertner. -- Ch. 2. Gender roles: images of masulinity and femininity. Only two percent of women describe themselves as beautiful / Dove, StrategyOne, Nancy Etcoff, and Susie Orbach -- Decoding Victoria's Secret: the marketing of sexual beauty and ambivalence / Marie D. Smith -- From "knockout punch" to "home run": masculinity's "dirty dozen" sports metaphors in American combat films / Ralph Donald -- Why don't we like the human body / Barbara Ehrenreich. -- Ch. 3. Children and family. APA congressional testimony on media violence and children: testimony of Jeff J. McIntyre on behalf of the American Psychological Association / Jeff J. McIntyre -- Violent television programming and its impact on children / American Civil Liberties Union -- A reflection of society and a message on family / Eric Garrison, The Simpsons -- Shopworn: like the Valley Girls who made it famous, the suburban mall is now on the wrong side of forty / Sandra Tsing Loh. -- Ch. 4. Race and ethnicity. The myth that would not die: The Sopranos, mafia movies, and Italians in America / Bernard Beck -- Trying to get beyond the role of the maid: Hispanic actors are seen as underrepresented, with the exception of one part / Mireya Navarro -- Different stories / Chris Tucker -- Sports, media culture, and race: some reflections on Michael Jordan / Douglas Kellner -- Editorial observer: how hip-hop music lost its way and betrayed its fans / Brent Staples. -- Ch. 5. Education: popular culture and the academy. Scholars spend as much time with Love boat as with Shakespeare / Robert Trussell -- Rock 101: academia tunes in / Alex Ross -- The reader in exile / Jonathan Franzen -- Harry Potter: Oliver with a magical twist / Marie Warmbold -- The Internet: everything bad is good for you / Steven Johnson. -- Ch. 6. Consumerism. Trash and the voluntary simplicity movement: the triumph of American materialism / James Twitchell -- The happiest place on Earth: Disney / Eric Michael Mazur and Tara K. Koda -- Shopping for American culture / James J. Farrell -- Bootleg culture / Pete Rojas -- Protecting Mickey Mouse at art's expense / Lawrence Lessig

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